US EditionDeath toll in Hong Kong fire rises to 44 with 279 still missing, authorities say
- On Wednesday, a fast-moving fire tore through the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Tai Po, killing at least 36 people and leaving 279 missing.
- Bamboo scaffolding and green protective construction mesh, widely used in Hong Kong, fueled the fire that started on external scaffolding, despite the Government of Hong Kong's plan to phase out bamboo scaffolding this year.
- Fire chiefs said crews deployed more than 140 fire trucks and over 60 ambulances as the blaze was upgraded to a level 5 alarm, with about 900 people evacuated to temporary shelters and at least six schools closed Thursday by the Education Bureau.
- Authorities have opened a dedicated probe as Police and the Fire Services Department investigate the fire cause and materials, while John Lee, Hong Kong Chief Executive, vowed a thorough probe and Xi Jinping, Chinese leader, called for all-out efforts amid at least 29 hospitalized residents.
- The housing complex, built in the 1980s and under renovation, could stoke public resentment ahead of a city-wide legislative election in early December, recalling the 1996 Kowloon fire and its public inquiry into 1996 fire.
336 Articles
336 Articles
Hong Kong fire: Death count rises to 44 with 300 still missing; three arrested for alleged manslaughter
The death count in the massive fire in high-rise apartment buildings in Hong Kong's Tai Po district has risen to 44, officials said. Meanwhile, about 300 residents remain missing as rescue operations continue into the morning, with firefighters and emergency teams pulling people from the blazing buildings. In Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades, hundreds of residents were evacuated as flames rapidly spread through seven of the eight towers of …
The fire in a residential complex has left 44 dead and 279 missing. The cause would have been the use of highly flammable materials in a renovation.
Hong Kong police arrest 3 as apartment fire death toll rises to 44, hundreds missing
Working through the night, firefighters struggle to reach residents potentially trapped on the upper floors of the Wang Fuk Court housing complex due to the intense heat and thick smoke from the fire
3 Arrested In Connection With Hong Kong Fire, Xi Jinping Offers Condolences
Hong Kong's deadliest fire in years burned through the night, leaving at least 36 people dead and 279 reported missing with rescuers still pulling residents from blazing high-rise apartment buildings into the morning.
(Beijing = Yonhap News) Correspondent Jeong Seong-jo = "I've lived in Hong Kong for over 30 years, but this is the first time I've seen such extensive damage."
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